In the field of image processing, there is an application of segmenting, from an image acquired, a part representing the structure of a target object. As a typical example, the structure is a tree-shaped tubular structure. Due to the limitations of various noises in the image and resolution, it might be difficult to obtain a complete and correct tree-shaped tubular structure directly from an image, especially when the region of interest is close to a twig. Therefore, a specific image segmentation method is usually needed to further process the image.
For instance, in modern medicine, the segmentation of an airway tree or blood vessel from an obtained medical image is of important clinical significance. Taking the airway tree as an example, the lung is scanned to obtain the volume image thereof in which pulmonary parenchyma and a desired airway tree structure are contained, and then the airway tree is segmented using various image segmentation methods, thereby facilitating the positioning of bronchia of different hierarchies and the measuring of characteristics of branches thereof.